I mean, sure, George Washington chopping down the cherry tree has much less cultural relevance than Spider-Man (although not ZERO relevance, looking at the success of stuff like Hamilton)
-
-
But that's not comic books being the new mythology, that's commercial fiction being more important nowadays than mythology Mythology, qua mythology, is much less of a thing in modern society I think the distinction does matter
1 reply 2 retweets 24 likes -
I mean How do I put this Actual mythology isn't something you *choose* It's just *there*, its relevance is assumed
1 reply 4 retweets 31 likes -
Like if someone shows you around their hometown and says "Oh yeah that's where John Henry died racing the steam drill" They're not saying that as a "John Henry fan", they're not talking about something they chose to watch for entertainment and assume you did too
2 replies 1 retweet 25 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect @LizardOrman
People of the past often knew myths were made up at the time and even if people are not fans of something the myth comparison is more about common cultural language. "When Thanos snapped his fingers," can be "Shaka, When the Walls Fell." Comics≠ Religious stories.
1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes -
Replying to @Lithobolos @LizardOrman
I strongly disagree with this and I think it's an example of presentism Like, it's starting off with the premise of wanting to imagine that all time periods and societies are basically the same and then trying to force obvious facts about them into that mold
1 reply 1 retweet 10 likes -
It is just simply false that the legends of Hercules, even if serious people in the time of Socrates no longer gave them much credence, were "pop culture" in the sense we have it today or that the name of the Pillars of Hercules was a "pop culture reference"
1 reply 1 retweet 11 likes -
Pop culture didn't exist Commonly referenced culture among ordinary people existed, sure That doesn't mean it actually literally was the same thing as pop culture like we have now Living in a different time period does, in fact, fundamentally change the kind of person you are
3 replies 3 retweets 12 likes -
Isn't that type of stuff called "folklore"?
3 replies 0 retweets 0 likes -
We're using the words loosey-goosey by calling superhero comics "mythology" in the first place Like if Hercules is technically "heroic legend" and not "myth" because his stories don't really take place in an abstract dream-time then obviously the same is true of Superman
2 replies 2 retweets 7 likes
Ironically if you use the strict definition of "myth" in that sense then obviously superhero comics aren't myths The closest thing we have to "myths" in modern "pop culture" would be stuff like memes, and commercials (Now that's a hot take for you)
-
-
Replying to @arthur_affect
I think Barthes' take on myth already covered that for you. The sign that acts as a signifier of a bigger signified myth = Mickey Mouse ears.
0 replies 0 retweets 1 likeThanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.